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For the majority of the 2018 Bathurst 1000 it looked like it was going to be free of a spectacular crash or a mechanical drama for the leader towards the end of the race.

Of course there would be some sort of drama, it's Bathurst after all, and rather than a mechanical failure it was a physical frailty that saw the long time leader of the race David Reynolds (with co-driver Luke Youlden) succumb to cramp with 30 laps to go.

"I'm so, so devastated. We had the fastest car today," said an emotional Reynolds after he handed the car over to Youlden to finish the race.

"I had cramp in my leg and I didn't know what pedal I was pushing half the time. This has never happened to me before and I just can't believe it happened to us.

"Even the first, probably 15 laps, I wasn't mentally there. Just lost. And then, my body gave up after that… I'm just so disappointed for everyone involved. We had the best car. I just can't believe it."

Erebus team owner Betty Klimenko wasn't so much philosophical after the race, more pragmatic.

"I give myself 15 minutes to dwell on it and then move on," she told the Herald. "There is no need for commiserations as this is motorsport and it happens all the time.

"You've just got to accept what happens and move on to the next race. If you worry about things like this, you shouldn't be in motor racing."

On the plus side of the race ledger, and you couldn't have written a script for, in a pure unicorn moment for the retiring — from a full time drive — Craig Lowndes along with Steven Richards took advantage of Reynolds misfortune and drove of into the setting sun and his seventh win and Richards' fifth.

"It's fantastic to get another win," said Richards. "My first two I won before having kids and the last two the kids weren't here because they thought they were the good luck charm by not turning up.

"This year they are here and got to see me win. All the races wins are different for different reasons but this is right up there. It's the biggest race on the calendar and our industry has been built on the back of this race, and that's a fact.

"This is the last time I'll be with Craig [he becomes a co-driver next year] so after the Gold Coast race I'll be making some calls to see what I can organize for next year."

DJR Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin finally made it onto the podium at Bathurst after coming so close in the past. Although it wasn't the top spot, he's none the less happy to be able to have finally made it.

"It's very cool to finally get on the podium," said McLaughlin. "It's something I've dreamed about and I have missed out a couple of times.

"I probably picked a good one [podium] to be on especially with Craig winning. It's something I'll cherish forever.

"As a Ford driver I got booed and I thought about calling them a pack of a***holes [as Jim Richards did in 1992] but didn't want them throwing anything at me.

"It looked good for a win for a while but we made a few mistakes and had a few mechanical issues. We'll be back next year better and stronger."